This species has many unique identifying characteristics
- a nasal, honking "quonk-quonk-quonk" call, vibrant coloration,
a tiny inch and a half long body, and an appetite for mosquitoes. They
are also found in a specific type of habitat - sandy, acidic and mucky
soils that offer dense shrubs, heavy ground cover, and shallow ponds,
bogs and ditches for breeding needs.

The Pine Barrens treefrog was first described in New
Jersey, and in the state occurs only in what is now known as the Pinelands.
What's most unique about the species this year though, is that it has
been "down-listed" - which is a good thing!

Recognized in New Jersey as an endangered species
since 1979, the status of the Pine Barrens treefrog has been upgraded to "threatened"
due to being locally abundant in some areas of New Jersey where this treefrog
is known to occur - another success story in New Jersey.

Pine Barrens TreefrogPhoto courtesy of Blaine Rothauser

Pine Barrens Treefrog habitatPhoto courtesy of Bob Zappalorti

Pine Barrens TreefrogPhoto courtesy of Robert Grant

Slowly Making a Comeback

New Jersey is one of only three locations
worldwide where Pine Barrens treefrogs are found. The other
two locations are the northern "pan handle" of Florida
and Alabama and in the Carolinas.

Pressures from development (habitat loss)
and water pollution (pesticides, primarily) led to the decline
of Pine Barrens treefrog population in the New Jersey Pinelands
throughout the mid-1900s.

In 1992 the
New Jersey Natural Heritage Program considered the species
to be "apparently secure globally" yet "rare
in New Jersey." Protection of this treefrog was warranted
due to its restricted habitat preferences and the limited suitable
habitat that was actually available here in the state.

Because the Pine Barrens treefrog is now
locally abundant in areas where it is known to occur in New
Jersey, its population is now recognized as being more secure
in the state. One initiative that aided in this achievement
was the establishment of the Pinelands
National Reserve in 1978, which is currently protected by
the Pinelands Protection Act and the Pinelands
Commission's Comprehensive Management Plan for the Pinelands
region.

Pine Barrens Treefrogs 
Facts of Interest

Its body is a vibrant green with a purple
stripe (and whitish border) extending from its snout through the
eye and down the sides of the body. The inner surfaces of the
front and hind thighs are and orange color.

This treefrog eats small insects and other
invertebrates. These elusive amphibians can typically be found
in swamps, bogs, lowlands or under heavy ground cover.

Breeding takes place in shallow pools in
late spring in New Jersey. During May, June, and July, males call
to attract females to breeding pools, where mating occurs. The
fertilized eggs are attached to plant stems underwater to later
hatch, with the process of tadpoles becoming adults taking about
two months to complete.

Scientists study the species by using the
mating call of the males to locate them or estimate their numbers.
Their voice is nasal and low in pitch, and the call is uttered
more slowly on cold nights and more quickly on warm evenings.

Pine Barrens Treefrog callingPhoto courtesy of Clay Myers

Ways
You Can Help

Photo courtesy of Clay Myers

Want to receive information quickly about
New Jersey wildlife? The Division of Fish and Wildlife offers eight E-mail
"mailing list" choices to the public. Visit the E-mail
List Subscription Page to learn more about this free service and how
to sign up.

Check-off for Wildlife when completing
your state tax return! This is a primary funding source for the preservation
of the state's endangered and nongame wildlife.